Download II. Body

OUTLINE FOR INFORMATIVE SPEECH “A”
Roman Coliseum
Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about the Roman Coliseum.
Thesis/Central Idea: To truly understand the historical impact the Coliseum has had on civilization, it is important
to learn of the architectural wonders of the Coliseum, the terror of the Roman Games, and the present plans for its
restoration.
Organizational Pattern: Topical
I.
Introduction
A. Attention Getter: Imagine yourself being ushered up a dark hallway and into a huge, outdoor theatre.
Here you are greeted by 50,000 screaming spectators and one man—crazy for your death, hungry for the
thought of ripping you apart limb from limb. You and Blood Thirsty are the only ones inside an arena
encompassed by a 15-foot wall, and the 50,000 people are waiting for you to die.
B. Relevance: From professional football and basketball games to the sporting events at ISU’s Redbird
Arena, much of our culture is influenced by the success of one great sports arena built nearly 2000 years
ago. The author Alan Baker, in his book, “The Gladiator,” published in 2001, makes the connection
between the ancient Roman games and our culture today. Our own athletes, he states, “…are merely the
pale echoes of the ancient fighters… [they] display their skill and aggression before thousands of screaming
spectators, with millions more watching on television. This is exactly what happened in the ancient world.”
C. Credibility: As a history major focused on Roman studies, I have always been enamored with the
stories surrounding the Coliseum. Further, a tour of Ancient Rome this past summer intensified my horror
and fascination with this great monument.
D. Thesis: To truly understand the historical impact the Coliseum has had on civilization, it is important to
learn of the architectural wonders of the Coliseum, the terror of the Roman Games, and the present plans
for its restoration.
E. Preview: Therefore, [show transparency] we will first, lay the foundation by describing its design and
construction, next, live through a day at the games, and finally, learn of the present plans to restore and
renovate this ancient monument to its original glory.
Transition: To begin, we will lay the foundation by describing its design and construction.
II.
Body
A. The Coliseum’s Construction
1. According to John Pearson, author of “Arena: The Story of the Colosseum,” published in 1973,
the Emperor Vespasian, to curry the favor of the Roman people, commissioned the construction of
the Coliseum.
2. Considering the games were held 1900 years ago, the construction was considered pure genius.
a. The outdoor theatre boasted 80 entrances, with a design so incredibly pragmatic that
each was equipped with a numbered staircase, ensuring the simultaneous exit of about
50,000 individuals in 3 minutes flat. Our sports stadiums today cannot even accomplish
this feat.
b. Just as we look down from gymnasium bleachers, spectators would look down upon
the wooden arena floor. However, the Coliseum’s floor was covered with sand, which
served to soak up large quantities of blood. The floor also concealed a labyrinth of
tunnels, trapdoors, and a complicated system of chains and pulleys, similar to our
modern-day elevators.
Transition: Now that we have laid the foundation of the Coliseum’s construction, let us live through a day at the
Roman Games.
B. A Day at the Games
1. As ISU students, part of our tuition pays for Redbird Arena. However, at the Coliseum’s
inception, it was a Roman citizen’s right to attend the games free of charge. And just as we are
treated to semesters of games, it was not uncommon for emperors to treat their subjects to many
months of games.
2. The mornings began with fights between wild animals. One battle involved a bull and a panther,
each at the end of a chain. They could barely reach other, and they were forced to tear each other
apart piece by piece. Lions would be matched against tigers and bears pitted against bulls.
3. Lunchtime executions followed. The scholar Baker, as cited earlier, states that the infliction of
pain was an essential part of punishment in ancient Rome. Therefore, common methods included
crucifixions, being burned alive, and being thrown to wild beasts. In fact, Emperor Constantine
would order molten lead to be poured down the condemned’s throats.
4. The best attraction was saved for the afternoon: gladiatorial combat. The following videoclip is
taken from the 2000 epic film, Gladiator, in which Russell Crowe stars. As stated earlier, notice
the concealed trapdoors in the arena floor. [Show videoclip.]
Transition: Now that we have lived through the terror of the Roman games, let us learn of the present plans to
restore and renovate this ancient monument to its original glory.
C. The Present Life of the Coliseum
1. After 300 years of this publicly accepted entertainment a monk named Telemachus ran into the
arena, screaming for them to stop. However, the mob was not to be cheated of their entertainment,
and he was torn to pieces.
a. Although gladiatorial combat was subsequently banned, the battles and executions
involving wild beasts took another 100 years to end.
b. Stones were taken from the Coliseum to construct other buildings during the Middle
Ages, and the inner arena, as shown here [show transparency] became overgrown with
weeds and vegetation.
2. Recently, [show transparency] the national geographic website reported in July of 2001, that a
restoration project is underway to reinstate the Coliseum, which is located near the center of
modern Rome.
a. It will take 8 years and cost 18-million dollars.
b. It will also continue to allow international tourists to attend Greek plays and
gladiatorial exhibitions.
Transition: Once restored, it will encompass, as historian Dr. Alison Futrell states in her 1997 book, “Blood in the
Arena,” “all the glory and doom of the Roman Empire.”
III.
Conclusion
A. Thesis/Summary: In many ways, the Coliseum has influenced the development of civilization and will
likely do so for years to come. The Coliseum’s construction was truly genius, bearing witness to the
wealth of the Roman Empire. The games, unlike those at Redbird Arena, served bloodshed and agony,
in the form of wild beasts, executions and gladiators. Hopefully, the restoration of the Coliseum will see
much less bloodshed.
B. Memorable Close: To quote the 7th century historian and monk, the Venerable Bede, in his famous
“Ecclesiastical History of the English people,” “While the Colisuem stands, Rome shall stand; when the
Coliseum falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, the world shall fall."
Works Cited
Auguet, R. (1998). Cruelty and civilization: The Roman games. Barnes & Noble: New York.
Baker, A. (2001). The gladiator: The secret history of Rome’s warrior slaves. St. Martin’s Press: New York.
Bede, V. (1849). The Venerable Bede's ecclesiastical history of England. H. G. Bohn: London.
The Coliseum on Eliki. (n.d.) The Coliseum. Retrieved July 20, 2002 from http://www.eliki.com/coliseum/
Core Tour Europe 2003. (2002). Coliseum. Sponsored by Saint Joseph’s College. Retrieved July 22, 2002 from
http://www.saintjoe.edu/~mjoakes/europe/images/ photos_01/coliseum.jpg
Futrell, A. (1997). Blood in the arena: The spectacle of Roman power. University of Texas Press: Austin.
National Geographic News. (2001, June 29). Rome Colosseum being restored for wider public viewing. Retrieved
July 22, 2002 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/2001/06/0625_wirecoliseum.html
Pearson, J. (1973). Arena: The story of the Colosseum. Thames & Hudson: London.
Wick, D. (Producer), & Scott, R. (Director). (2000). Gladiator [Motion picture]. United States: Dreamworks
Pictures and Universal Pictures.